Or are they one and the same? I mean him and him. We'll know for sure if, in a surprising twist, Samwise Gamgee is appointed to Barack Obama's vacant US Senate seat. [This bit of blog trivia was crossposted at my otherwise depthy personal blog.] … [Read more...] about Are They Two Different People?
Mugabe Government Claims UK Caused Cholera Epidemic
Talk about whoppers! This one would make Rod Blagojevich blush. A day after Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe claimed that the cholera outbreak in his country had been thwarted, in spite of confirmation from numerous sources it was claiming more victims, a member of the Mugabe regime claimed that cholera had been planted by Britain: Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu … [Read more...] about Mugabe Government Claims UK Caused Cholera Epidemic
Bush Exhorts Graduates While Senators Excoriate Bush & Co.
While president Bush was delivering a commencement address to Texas A & M graduates, exhorting the graduates to "develop a set of principles to live by---convictions and ideals to guide your course" and emphasizing character, conscience and role models, Washington Post readers were staring at an article with the following lead paragraph: A bipartisan panel of senators … [Read more...] about Bush Exhorts Graduates While Senators Excoriate Bush & Co.
Gorbachev and Bush Confess their Sins: Argumenty i Facty, Russia
In an odd coincidence, Mikhail Gorbachev, the last general secretary of the Soviet Union, confessed to regrets to V. Pozner of Russia's Channel 1 on the same day, on December 1, that our own George W. Bush did so, during an interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson. Readers of the Moderate Voice are no doubt aware of Bush's 'confession' - in which he admits to regretting, 'the … [Read more...] about Gorbachev and Bush Confess their Sins: Argumenty i Facty, Russia
Obama and Blagojevich
John Cole, The Scranton Times-Tribune … [Read more...] about Obama and Blagojevich
The Moon Tonight: We Are Part of the Magnitude, the Mystery
From The Times December 12, 2008 Look up tonight for a spectacular treat in the sky Biggest full moon for years enhanced by shooting stars Paul Simons If the full moon tonight looks unusually large, it is not your imagination – it is the biggest and brightest full moon to be seen for 15 years. Each month the Moon makes a full orbit around the Earth in a slightly … [Read more...] about The Moon Tonight: We Are Part of the Magnitude, the Mystery
Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Coleman-Franken: This Just In
TPM Election Central is reporting "Al Franken's chances of winning the Minnesota recount may have just gone up astronomically," because the state canvassing board just voted unanimously that absentee ballots that were initially rejected because of clerical errors should be counted. Reportedly, there could be nearly 1,600 of these ballots. This has been one of the biggest … [Read more...] about Coleman-Franken: This Just In
Why Strategy Is So Important For Combating The Economic Crisis
Pete made a very important point about how public relations is about spin and not public relationships. I'm going to be cynical and say that politics for the most part has become largely about PR, with all sides believing that if only they could control the message and do what they want, then things would be OK. The problem is that now, more than ever, the "right" thing to … [Read more...] about Why Strategy Is So Important For Combating The Economic Crisis
The Autoworkers of Detroit: Salt of the Earth
There's an apocryphal story told in our neck of the woods... When the men came shuffling home after the auto plant closed suddenly that day-- without prior notice to the workers-- many of the factory men had left their cars at the plant... They were in the midst of purchasing a family sedan, but now, suddenly without jobs, with not even a remote prospect of a job in auto … [Read more...] about The Autoworkers of Detroit: Salt of the Earth
Obama’s Blagojevich Review: One Lawyer’s Unsolicited, Very Bad Advice
Commenting on the Obama team's promise to conduct its own review of "who talked with disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and when -- and precisely what they said," Politico quotes a "top Washington defense lawyer," who does not approve of the effort and is willing to say so. His summation: "It never helps when you dig up the dirt in your own yard and you find … [Read more...] about Obama’s Blagojevich Review: One Lawyer’s Unsolicited, Very Bad Advice
A Weeklong Orgy of Crooks
Chalk up the week of Dec. 8, 2008, as the week that will go down in infamy. It was a contest in which an Illinois governor, Wall Street titan and Florida mortgage manipulator competed for Scam Artist of the Year. It was a short work week, too. In the span of four days federal authorities charged: Gov. Rod Blagojevich trying to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat to … [Read more...] about A Weeklong Orgy of Crooks
The Taliban Tax
Looks like the NATO forces in Afghanistan are indirectly funding the Taliban insurgency they're fighting against. The Times has the story of why contractors supplying military bases are forced to pay protection money to the Taliban in order to avoid attacks: The business of moving supplies from the Pakistani port of Karachi to British, US and other military contingents in the … [Read more...] about The Taliban Tax
Scholarships for Spouses of Military
We have devoted a lot of print to the fierce battles Democrats fought with the McCain-Bush team to provide a decent GI Bill for our troops. The bill finally passed with some great education benefits for our troops. Such benefits can run into the tens-of-thousands of dollars for an individual. But how about the spouses of active duty and retired military? The new GI … [Read more...] about Scholarships for Spouses of Military
The Outrage Aimed At The Normal
In thinking about the new Obama-Blagojevich Affair (doesn't roll off the tongue to well does it?), is the President-Elect just unlucky to be the next Leader of the Free World (who happens to be black) where millions upon millions of microscopes are aimed at? Because this whole dust up just doesn't sound new and isolated to Chicago. Governor Blagojevich's reaction when the … [Read more...] about The Outrage Aimed At The Normal
Minnesota Senate Update
The canvassing board in Minnesota met today and made a few decisions. 1. It looks like they will be including the 133 votes per the count on Election Day so that is +46 for Franken 2. They also recommended that most or all of the rejected absentee ballots be reviewed and/or counted but left the decision to each county. Some would argue that this benefits Franken on the … [Read more...] about Minnesota Senate Update
While Detroit Burns…
Megan McArdle has written some good pieces over the last few weeks about the domestic auto industry. While I haven't always agreed with her, she does put forth some sound arguments. But the day after the auto bailout bill dies in the Senate and Michigan newspapers are talking about what could happen next in my home state, what is McArdle talking about on her blog? Holiday … [Read more...] about While Detroit Burns…
Throw Out the Playbook
Eugene Robinson provides some needed cold water on President Elect Obama's approach to political purity in the Washington Post today. In examining Obama's approach to and spin on the Blagojevich story, he seems to view the cautious, neutral doublespeak as less of a breath of fresh air and more of the same old same old. In handling questions about the arrest of Illinois Gov. … [Read more...] about Throw Out the Playbook
Localism, the Internet, & Evil Google News
Google News refuses to index MyBallard.com and Cory Bergman, who runs the Seattle neighborhood news site with his wife, is bugged big-time: Both my wife and I are longtime journalists, and I have several national and regional journalism awards. Approximately 80-90 percent of our coverage is original (the rest is aggregation). We publish multiple stories and photos a day, and … [Read more...] about Localism, the Internet, & Evil Google News
The Real Failure of the Auto Bailout That Wasn’t
I turned 40 in 2005. The resulting ‘midlife crisis’ was remarkably subdued. I didn’t buy a fancy sports car. I didn’t cheat on my wife. I didn’t join a rock band. I didn’t start drinking more or visiting casinos every night. I did, however, attempt to write a book. In fact, I completed a draft of 200-some-odd pages; a treatise on re-imagining the practice of public … [Read more...] about The Real Failure of the Auto Bailout That Wasn’t